Each student can choose up to three of the discussion topics below. We are looking forward to seeing many of you at the discussion table and hear your thoughts on these issues!

1. The ‘North-South’ discrepancy: how to transfer knowledge and develop the world? It occurs that developed countries nowadays invest in making state-of-the-art technologies 1% more efficient. People worry about micro-pollutants and drinking bottled water vs tapwater. At the same time, people in developing countries might have to think about how many kilometers they have to cover the next morning just to get some water, about drought or about the conditions of their water source. The question arises, how should technology be transferred between these levels? Should this start from the basics, such as basic sanitation, sewers and low-tech solutions? Or should the transfer of cutting-edge technologies be priority?

2. 'Drink different': consumer-driven innovation in the water sector ‘Think different’ is the renowned campaign of Apple, to react against the status quo in the computer world. Also in the water sector, there is a status quo of centralised systems and conservatism, that does not offer the solutions for the increasing water scarcities. ‘Drink different’ is a campaign to change this status quo to a decentralised water production, even on household level, from rain and grey water, coupled to online monitoring via smartphones. Involving the consumer in the water sector will result in increased awareness and consumer driven innovation.

3. Contaminated soils: sticking our heads in the sand? Soil pollution is sadly omnipresent, yet it does not receive an equal amount of attention. Is this problem being underestimated, are we sticking our heads in the sand? Moreover, how to solve these issues and make solving them, e.g. brownfields, more worthwhile?

4. The love triangle: science, industry and policy in the same bed People from industry, scientists and policy makers all have different angles, targets, comfort zones and incentives, yet they increasingly need to work together to create successful innovations. How can these three actors and their goals be aligned to strive for better environmental solutions, and in the end, a better world?

5. Silent killer: the dangers of indoor air pollution ‘Home sweet home’ goes the saying, yet is that always true? Indoor air pollution is an important topic that a majority of people is oblivious about. What are the dangers, how can one raise awareness on this and, last but not least, how can these dangers be abated?

6. E-waste: the Table of Mendeleyev in your backyard What currently happens to all that electronic waste and how could this be improved in the future?